Ask the right question

The answers you need to tackle important challenges and succeed may be right in front of you. You just need to know how to ask! In Ask the Right Question, learning and leadership expert Jeff Wetzler offers a practical and effective approach to deciphering what the people around you really think and feel, and how best to collaborate.

Whether out of insecurity or fear of the consequences, many people fail to share what they really think and end up withholding valuable information that could strengthen our connections, teach us new things, and help us find better solutions to problems.

That's why mastering the art of asking questions is one of the keys to building trust in personal and professional relationships. Asking questions—and, consequently, answering them honestly—may seem simple, but in practice it proves to be much more complex. The chance of someone leaving a simple conversation feeling disrespected, offended, or belittled is high. In "Ask the Right Question ," psychologist Jeff Wetzler shows that it's possible to overcome this barrier.

With a PhD in Learning and Leadership from Columbia University, Wetzler explores the reasons behind miscommunication in a variety of contexts and presents the five steps of his powerful method, the Ask Approach™:

1. Choose curiosity: how to awaken your curious side to make discoveries and establish unexpected connections?
2. Create a safe space: How do you make people feel comfortable telling you difficult things?
3. Ask quality questions: What questions to ask to best explore the knowledge of those around you?
4. Listen to learn: how can we hear what they are trying to tell us between the lines?
5. Reflect and Reconnect: How to Put Conversations into Practice

Named one of the best business and leadership books of 2024 , Ask the Right Question will surprise readers with a new way to make smarter decisions, develop more creative solutions to everyday challenges, and nurture deeper relationships.

“Most people value improving their communication skills, but few know how to begin. This book is a powerful guide that will help you ask questions, learn more, and connect better with the people around you.” — Adam Grant, bestselling author of Think Again and Hidden Potential

“Jeff Wetzler exposes an incredibly valuable truth: questions can be more useful than answers. If people would let their guard down and be genuinely curious, the world would be a better place.” — Jim Collins, bestselling author of Good to Great